ICC chief reveals Butt suspension appeal
International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Haroon Lorgat has confirmed that Pakistan's Salman Butt has appealed against his provisional suspension.
Test captain Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended by the ICC over spot-fixing claims.
Lorgat said a hearing would be held as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt is holding talks with English counterpart Giles Clarke about Butt's claims England threw a game.
PCB chief Butt claimed England were paid to lose the third match of the one-day series against Pakistan at the Oval on 17 September.
He has been threatened with legal action by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Professional Cricketers' Association if he does not retract the claims.
He has so far refused to do so, but has now flown to London to meet ECB chairman Clarke to discuss the matter.
 |
606: DEBATE
numero quatro
|
Asked whether Butt should apologise for his comments, ICC chief executive Lorgat told the BBC that he wished to see the argument resolved to England's satisfaction.
"I would suggest that whatever ensures the good image and reputation of the game is a good thing and that would be something that either retracts the statement or satisfies the ECB in terms of the allegations that remain," said Lorgat.
"He's got a responsibility to manage the affairs in the PCB, it's a hugely responsible role. I would think there are ways and means it could have been done differently but that's for Mr Butt to decide."
Butt's comments prompted outrage from England players and officials and Lorgat added: "That's something he has chosen to do which I would not condone.
"If he's got information he should have come through our investigators. We've written to him to obtain that information."
The ICC chief also defended cricket's governing body over criticism that their anti-corruption system is ineffective.
"I wouldn't agree with that because if you think about the incidents that transpired we promised decisive action and we did act upon it," he insisted.
"We've got a well-stated position of zero tolerance and whoever the player, wherever the player, we will investigate.
"Many players have shared info with us. We're not a police unit, we don't have powers to arrest, we cannot conduct sting operations, so within the framework we are entitled to operate I think the anti-corruption unit has done a good job.
"We shouldn't lose perspective because overall the game is in extremely good health, financially secure, well supported.
 Lorgat has had much to deal with since taking the ICC role in 2008
|
"What transpired is a challenge we have to deal with and we must deal with it. It's a duty of the ICC to ensure the integrity of the sport is maintained."
Regarding the situation of Pakistan Test skipper Salman Butt, whose hearing will be conducted by Michael Beloff QC, Lorgat said: "He's got like the other two [Asif and Amir], until the 15th of October to respond to the substantive charges, but he's focusing on the provisional suspension."
Meanwhile, Lorgat dismissed a suggestion that the future of the one-day international game looks bleak.
"Absolutely not, that is an over-stated topic that the one-day format is under threat," he said.
"If you look at some of the fascinating one-day games we've had in the last year or two, even the recent series between England and Pakistan - not withstanding the challenges around it - there's a lot of interest in 50-over cricket.
"We've got another World Cup coming up in 2015, so it's far from over."
However, Lorgat did reveal that the volume of international cricket would be assessed.
"We are restructuring the format in terms of scheduling, we've got a proposal on the table which will be considered by the board in two weeks' time, so I'm confident we will structure the game better.
"I can see the amount of growing interest in the sport, the amount of commercial interest in the sport, the players that are taking to it, the growth in women's cricket... I'm very confident about the future."
Potenshöjande medel - köp cialis receptfritt
No comments:
Post a Comment